How to Become a Firefighter in New York

Who can apply

• Fire departments set their own hiring rules and tests. The state sets minimum training standards for paid firefighters under 19 NYCRR Part 426.
• Under General Municipal Law 209-w, career firefighters in departments that employ six or more career firefighters must earn the New York State Firefighter certification.
• All other OFPC certifications are voluntary.

Step by step

1. Get hired by a fire department. Departments run their own hiring process.
2. Complete a basic fire training program certified by the State Fire Administrator. Part 426 requires at least 229 hours, including the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT).
3. Finish basic training within the deadline after your first appointment. The deadline is 18, 24 or 36 months, depending on how many hours a week you are on duty.
4. Apply for the NYS Firefighter certification. You can qualify through a certified basic program (such as Recruit Firefighter Training), or by building up Firefighter Recruit II and Recruit I and then finishing the remaining courses.
5. If you want national Firefighter I/II certification, register for OFPC's national certification testing. OFPC is accredited by the Pro Board.
6. Once permanently appointed, complete at least 100 hours of in-service training each year.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: 19 NYCRR 426.6 sets basic fire training for probationary and nonpermanent firefighters at a minimum of 229 hours in approved courses. The courses are: Firefighting Skills (75 hrs), Fire Prevention (24), Ladder Operations (18), Pump Operation (18), Basic Wildland Fire Suppression (9), Rescue Operations (21), Hazardous Materials First Responder Awareness and Operations (16), Auto Accident Victim Extrication (16), First Aid and CPR (17), Incident Command System (12) and Health and Wellness (1). Local department rules training and the CPAT are also required, with no set hours. The program must be certified by the State Fire Administrator and taught by state-certified instructors.

Exam: The state minimum standard requires you to pass the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) as part of basic training. OFPC also offers national certification testing to NFPA 1001 Firefighter I (Chapter 5) and Firefighter II (Chapter 6). That testing is the route for training that is not already nationally certified. To sit for the Firefighter I or II national exam, you must complete live fire suppression verification and meet OFPC's listed prerequisites. Your application must be postmarked or received at least 30 days before the exam date, and candidates under 18 need a Training Authorization Form for exams that use SCBA. OFPC publishes practical skills test packets.

What it costs in New York

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

How long it takes

A certified basic training program must be finished within 18 to 36 months of first appointment, depending on average weekly duty hours (19 NYCRR 426.5).

Keeping your certification

Renewal: Under 19 NYCRR 426.7, permanently appointed firefighters and the officers who command company operations must receive at least 100 contact hours of in-service training each year. The Firefighter In-Service certification requires an annual in-service program certified by the State Fire Administrator. It is required for career firefighters in departments with six or more career firefighters.

Good to know in New York

Deadline to finish basic training: Temporary, probationary and nonpermanent firefighters must finish a certified basic program within 18 months of appointment if on duty more than 20 hours a week on average. The deadline is 24 months for 10 to 20 hours a week, and 36 months for less than 10 hours a week. Periods of nonservice do not count.

Certification path: OFPC has Firefighter Recruit II, Firefighter Recruit I and Firefighter certifications. Recruit II requires Firefighting Essentials plus Initial Fire Attack (or Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Firefighter, or Firefighter I and II), plus fire behavior and local rules training. Recruit I adds ladder or truck operations, pump operations, extrication and Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations. Firefighter adds rescue, ICS, wildland, inspection, first aid, CPR and the CPAT. Completing a 426.6-certified basic program such as Recruit Firefighter Training qualifies you directly.

Out-of-state training (reciprocity): To get equivalency or reciprocity for Firefighter I or II training done outside the New York State Fire Training Program, you need national certification to NFPA 1001. Certification from a Pro Board- or IFSAC-accredited agency is recognized after the issuing agency verifies it. If your training is not nationally certified, you must pass national certification testing from OFPC or another Pro Board- or IFSAC-accredited agency. Send proof of completion and the course syllabus to the OFPC Standards Unit.

National certification registry: OFPC sends certifications to the Pro Board registry quarterly, around January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1, so your national certificate may take time to appear there.

Contact: OFPC Standards Unit: 518-474-6746, ofpc-standards@dhses.ny.gov.

Sources

• NYS DHSES - New York State Certifications
• 19 NYCRR 426.5 - Basic training, time completion requirements (Cornell LII)
• 19 NYCRR 426.6 - Minimum basic fire training (Cornell LII)
• 19 NYCRR 426.7 - In-service fire training (Cornell LII)
• NYS DHSES - Part 426 Minimum Standards for Firefighting Personnel (PDF)
• OFPC Information Bulletin - National Certification (re-issued Oct 3, 2022)
• NYS DHSES - Training Reciprocity or Equivalency for NYS Fire Training Courses
• NYS DHSES - National Certifications